The new Alpha 7 V elevates AI recognition and speed while bringing flagship-level features within reach. Photographer and Alpha Collective member Nate Luebbe (@nateinthewild) had a chance to take the new camera down to the desert near Hanksville, Utah for action, landscape, astro and even timelapse photography. “I'm a massive fan of the way the light hits the desert rocks in the mornings and evenings,” he says. We caught up with Nate for more on his experience with the Alpha 7 V – a camera that he’s already calling “the new low-light king.”
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Alpha 7 V. 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 G Master. 1/1600-sec., f/4.5, ISO 100
Alpha 7 V: Standout Features
Nate had the chance to photograph mountain bikers in action with the Alpha 7 V, and he says the new sensor, 30fps and blackout-free shooting, and the new processor were standout features for him. “Lightning-fast burst speeds (and video) from this new partially-stacked sensor. Honestly between the burst speeds, precapture and speed boost and the 4k/120p video, this is basically an entry-level Alpha 1 II for those who want to spend a little less. If you've been on the fence about upgrading your camera, it doesn't get any better than this.”
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Alpha 7 V. 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/1250-sec., f/2.8, ISO 125
The Alpha 7 V’s upgraded Autofocus also impressed Nate while capturing the bikers racing over jumps. “The new AF system with automatic subject detection combined with the blackout-free burst shooting made it incredibly easy to get action shots of mountain bikers, and it was amazing having the partially-stacked sensor so I knew I didn't have to worry about rolling shutter. I’m also really excited to see the new articulating screen make its way to the Alpha 7 line of cameras, as well as pre-capture!”
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Alpha 7 V. 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/1600-sec., f/2.8, ISO 200
Alpha 7 V: Image Quality
Nate says that he was fortunate, despite the terrible weather, to have a few moments of dramatic sun each morning. We asked him plain and simple what he thought about the image quality produced by the Alpha 7 V. His response? “I absolutely loved it. Even shooting JPEG I was blown away – tons of keeper images from just a single week with this camera.”
His personal favorite image from his time with the camera features a sunrise in Goblin Valley. “A dreary day of non-stop rain, but with just enough of an opening in the clouds to give me two minutes of colorful clouds right at sunrise.”
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Alpha 7 V. 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/60-sec., f/2.8, ISO 100
Alpha 7 V: Low-Light Performance
Since Nate’s work often takes place in different natural lighting situations, he needs a camera that can keep up when the shade extends far or the sun goes down. The Alpha 7 V performed exactly how he needed it to. “The ISO performance is exceptional. The best image quality of any camera in the Sony line all the way up to ISO 12,800 ISO, and with a dual-base ISO for video at 8,000 this might just be the new low-light king.”
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Alpha 7 V. 16mm f/1.8 G. 30-sec., f/1.8, ISO 4000
Alpha 7 V: Timelapse & Video
Nate is a hybrid shooter who often captures stunning video footage and timelapses of landscape scenes alongside his photography. When we asked him about the new Alpha 7 V for video, he said,“The downsampled 7k footage is gorgeous. I did a side-by-side comparison to the Alpha 1 II shooting in full 8k and they look nearly identical. Incredible value from this camera.”
He also said he’s absolutely going to buy one an Alpha 7 V the second it's available. “I do a TON of holy-grail timelapses, but I don't need the full 8.6K resolution of my Alpha 1 II for most of those (the final videos end up with massive file sizes), so the 7K sensor of the new Alpha 7 V is perfect for this use case. Combined with incredible ISO performance and no blackout, this is a no-brainer for my camera bag.”
Click here to learn more about the new Alpha 7 V.
